Joseph Tkach has been president of Grace Communion International since 1995. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Azusa Pacific University. For more information about him, click here.

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In the days when Jesus was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago,
there was a devout old man called Simeon living in Jerusalem. The Holy
Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the
Lord’s Christ.

Luke 2:27 tells us that the Spirit led Simeon into the temple courts on
the very day that Jesus’ parents brought in the infant Jesus to fulfill the
requirements of the law of Moses.

When Simeon saw the baby, he took it in his arms and praised God, saying:

"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in
peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in
the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for
glory to your people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32).

Jesus came not only as the Messiah for the glory of Israel, but also to
reveal the Father and his unconditional grace and love to all the people of
the world.

Isaiah had prophesied it long before:

"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes
of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you
a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of
the earth." (Isaiah 49:6; cf. 42:6-7).

Through Jesus salvation has come to the entire world, to all sinners
everywhere, even to all the enemies of God.

In Colossians 1:19-20, the apostle Paul wrote:

"For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through
him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things
in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

In Christ, we have peace. That’s because our salvation isn’t up to us.
It’s not our burden. It’s his, and he carries it with ease and with joy
because he loves us with a love that will never diminish or end.

He has not brought us to an impossible uphill struggle to prove ourselves
worthy. He has given the unconditional grace of a new life. We can rest in
him and give him all our burdens—our burdens of sin, our burdens of fear,
our burdens of pain, disappointment, confusion and even doubt.

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